Auburn men’s basketball standout Tahaad Pettiford was arrested early Saturday morning in Alabama on suspicion of driving under the influence, according to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
The 19-year-old point guard was booked into the Lee County Jail shortly after midnight and later released on a $1,000 bond.
“We are aware of the situation, and we will handle it internally with Tahaad and his family,” Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl said in a statement to GlobaNow. “We take these matters seriously and will learn and grow from it moving forward.”
Pettiford’s arrest comes just weeks after he announced his decision to withdraw from the 2025 NBA Draft and return to Auburn for his sophomore season. As a freshman, the 6-foot-1 guard averaged 11.6 points and 3 assists per game, playing a pivotal role in leading the Tigers to an SEC regular-season championship, a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament, and a Final Four run.
Prior to his return announcement, Pettiford was projected as a late first- or early second-round pick in the 2025 draft. Instead, he chose to come back to Auburn in hopes of boosting his stock for the 2026 draft while benefiting from college basketball’s rapidly expanding Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities.
The university has not announced whether Pettiford will face any suspension or team discipline.
